It’s pretty hard to be unhappy when the sun is shining. And with an
average of 320 days of sunshine per year, Townsville North Queensland
has cause to celebrate.

You don’t have to like football, fast cars, diving or sailing in this
town, but if you do, you’ll be in your own personal nirvana with a
line-up of events usually only seen in bustling capital cities.

From Magnetic Island with its 23 bays and beaches, to the beautifully wild Hinchinbrook Island (home of the Thorsborne Trail) and epic Wallaman Falls, you can’t help but succumb to the allure of this region – sitting pretty between the reef, rainforest and outback.

Townsville’s CBD has undergone a transformation in recent years and
is gaining a reputation for its shopping, food and entertainment
precincts. Enjoy boutique shopping on Flinders Street, Palmer Street and Gregory Street
as well as the regular local markets. Take yourself on a self-guided
street art tour around the inner city streets, or check out the
top-notch restaurants, bars and cafes on Palmer Street, the new City Lane and other favourite hangouts.

Custodians of the Great Barrier Reef

Home to the who’s who of reef research, turtle rehabilitation and
marine education in Australia, Townsville is THE place to greet the
reef.

Learn all about conservation and research on the World Heritage Listed Great Barrier Reef at Reef HQ.

Snorkel your way along the reef or go for the ultimate dive at the SS Yongala wreck.

Sail your way around the Palm Islands group or bliss out in luxury on Orpheus Island.

Naturally fascinating

Travel really is the best education. Get the kids heads out of the books and into the great outdoors for a PhD in life.

Not just a pretty face

Once you’ve conquered Castle Hill and dived the Great Barrier Reef until you can’t flipper anymore...

Discover the WWII history of the area and check out the panoramic views over Magnetic Island on the Forts Walk.

Take a stroll through the newly landscaped Jezzine Barracks,
a significant site for both the Australian military and local
Indigenous people. Enjoy spectacular views, interpretive signage,
artwork, traditional plantings and parklands.

Go from beach to bush and spend your days cooling off under
waterfalls and spotting kangaroos and platypus in Paluma Range National
Park.